Signal for grain boxes of threshers and combines



Feb. 3, 1953 G. J. HERIGSTAD 2,627,244

SIGNAL FOR GRAIN BOXES 0F THRESHERS AND COMBINES Filed Au 2, 1949 H I 7,102 wlll Ext-E- 5 j? .25

INVENTOR. 4 0 Gus-r J.HEI2IGSTAD A *rranmsvs Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNAL FOR GRAIN BOXES OF THRESHERS AND COMBINES 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to signal means for the grain box of a thresher or combine, the primary object of the invention being to provide signals for warning the operator of a thresher or combine whenever the grain box approaches full condition and serving at the same time to inform truckers working with the operator of a thresher or combine in the field whenever their services are about to be required to receive grain from a full grain box, so that the truckers can immediately make themselves available, thereby facilitating operations, and eliminating unnecessary loss of working time.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of signals of the character indicated above which are simple "in construction and efficient in operation, are easy to install, and can be provided in a rugged and serviceable form at relatively low cost.

Other important objects and advantageous features of my invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein, merely for present purposes of illustration, specific embodiments of the invention are set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a mechanical embodiment, with portions broken away to show internal structure, the signal being shown in inoperative position in full lines and in operated position in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken through the upper part of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of an electrical embodiment, with portions broken away to show internal structure.

Figure l is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section taken through the switch and the grain box of Figure 3; and,

Figure 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the embodiment of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, and first to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, the numeral 5 generally designates a substantially conventional combine or thresher grain box, along whose righthand sidewall 6 the elevator l rises. On the inner surface of the wall 6 a plate 8, having a pair of spaced hinge brackets ll, is secured as indicated at it at a point near the lower end of the wall 6. A relatively rigid preferably metal plate ll of vertically elongated rectangular shape has hinge pins [2 projecting from its opposite side edges near its lower end which are journalled in the brackets 9, with the plate H rising from between the brackets and normally occupying a laterally inwardly inclined position, as shown in full lines in Figure 1.

A clevis bracket I3 secured to project from an upper part of the outward surface of the plate ll receives between its ears [4 the inward end of a normally horizontal link IS, with this inward end pivoted to the clevis bracket by a hinge pin It. The link l5 extends outwardly of the grain box wall 6 through avertically elongated slot ll formed therein.

A horizontal support arm [8 is secured at its inward end to the adjacent side of the elevator l and projects outwardly therefrom. A normally outwardly inclined signal lever arm 19 is pivoted to the outer end of the support arm 18 at a point near the lower or inward end of the signal lever arm ill for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis as indicated at 20, and the lower end of the signal lever arm I9 is pivoted, as indicated at 2| to the outer end of the link l5. A preferably flexible signal flag 22 is attached to the outer or upper part of the signal lever arm [9.

A flexible material covering 23 which may be in the form of a bellows is secured to and between the stationary plate 8 and the hinged plate ll, above, below, and at opposite sides of the link l5 so as to keep the working space of the hinged plate It and link 15 free of grain and debris which might otherwise impede or impair free operation of the mechanism.

With the parts in the full line inoperative positions shown in Figure 1, the rise of grain in the box 5 to a level above the lower end of the hinged plate it exerts an outward pressure thereon which increases as the grain rises toward the full level, so that as the full level is approached the plate II is pushed outwardly toward the wall 6 and in being hinged pushes the link l5 outwardly and downwardly from its position at the top of the slot ll, thereby swinging the signal lever arm l9 and its flag 22 to the erect signalling position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. When the box 5 is emptied to a level below the plate II, the weight of the signal lever arm causes it to subside by operation of the force of gravity and. restore the plate I I to its normal inwardly inclined position.

Referring now to Figures 3 to 5 of the drawings, the embodiment of the invention therein shown contemplates the presence of the operators control column at, including a hand wheel Ell on its upper end, with the grain box 5 spaced laterally from the control column 30 on the chassis 32 of a combine or thresher. In this embodiment an electric signal lamp 33 is mounted beneath the wheel 3| on the upper part of the column 39 with an insulated wire 36 connected between one side of the lamp and a chassis ground 35, with a battery 36 and a hand switch 91 connected between the ground 35 and the lamp 33. Another insulated wire 34 is led through the column 39 and along the chassis 32 from the remaining side of the lamp 33 and along the wall 6 of the grain box 5 through which it passes to connect with an insulated contact 38 mounted on the inward side of the Wall 6 near its upper end.

Secured to the inward side of the wall 6 above the contact 38, as indicated at 39, is the upper end of a spring contactor plate 40 which has a major portion 4| which is downwardly and inwardly bowed and is normally spaced far out of engagement with the contact 38. The contactor plate 40 is connected to a chassis round 42 in any suitablemanner, as through the metal of the grain box 5. Flexible sidewalls 43 extend between the side edges of the contactor plate 40 and the grain box wall 6 to keep grain and other matter from interfering with the free action of the contactor plate. When the grain box becomes filled to the level of the spring contactor plate 49, the latter is pushed outwardly and engages the contact 33, thereby closing the circuit and operating the signal lamp 33, so as to apprise the operator and associated truckers of the approaching full condition of the grain box, thereby enabling the truckers to make themselves immediately available to the operator of the combine or thresher for removal of the grain from the grain box. The

signal can also be operated manually by the combine operator to call truckers to his assistance in an emergency or for other purposes.

What is claimed is:

A device for signalling the rise of grain in an open top-grain box toward the full level comprising a vertically disposed plate positioned within and in parallel spaced relation with respect to a side wall of said grain box adjacent the open top thereof and having one end connected to said side wall for movement toward and away from the latter wall, a bellows interposed between said plate and said side wall and secured to the edges and other end of said plate and to said side wall, a lever arm positioned exteriorly of said grain box and mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis intermediate its ends thereof, a horizontally disposed link having one end pivotally connected to said plate adjacent the other end thereof and having the other end connected to one end of said lever arm, and a signal flag dependingly supported from said lever arm adjacent the other end thereof.

GUST J. HERIGSTAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 805,102 Swanson Nov. 21, 1905 831,911 Versteeg Sept. 25, 1906 848,519 Versteeg Mar. 26, 1907 1,857,643 Kinjon May 10, 1932 1,892,790 Smelser Jan. 3, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,944 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1893 13,018 Great Britain of 1914 20,973 Germany Aug. 10, 1905 

